Conflict Resolution or Just More Conflict (Hexagon Commission)
by Tigercry
Summary: Hexagon Academy is known for their prestigious reputation as a school, and yet things are happening under their very nose... ((Permission given by the author, Azrakatz to rewrite Chapter 44 Ending and Chapter 45 as a whole. Plot and character credit go to them.)) Currently Chapter 1 of 3
1. I Can't Handle It Anymore!

_**I love Azrakatz's Warriors fanfiction "Hexagon," and after getting permission to do this, I decided to rewrite one of their chapters. It's an alt ending to chapter 44 continued to chapter 45, with of course, my own spin on it of course :D**_

 _ **So, without a further of a do, I release, "Conflict Resolution… or Just More Conflict" to the public! :D**_

 _ **This is a Rewrite, so not everything matches, I've created hidden moments and some secrets to help carry my version, so keep that in mind.**_

* * *

 _I Can't Handle it Anymore!_

 _Chapter 1 of 3 in Conflict Resolution… or Just More Conflict_

 _Chapter 44 Ending Part Rewrite_

Cinderheart giggled as Lionblaze missed once, twice, three, four, and even five times before the man in charge of the festival game stall told him how much time he had left.

"Ten seconds…" The man drawled boredly from where he was leaning against the counter scrolling on his smartphone without really paying attention to Lionblaze's attempt. The fiery blonde was trying to shoot ping pong balls from a special gun to win one of the two stuffed cats dangling above their heads as one of the prizes. However… he seemed to have terrible aim. He gave up trying to aim and flat out spammed the trigger, firing as fast as possible as if it would increase his chances.

Cinderheart's giggles turned to laughter as his very last shot barely skimmed the top of the figure and caused it to wobble promisingly. Only for for them to hear a tell tale click, he hadran out of ammo.

Seconds later the timer beeped, signally the end of his time.

Lionblaze pulled a face and put down the shooter, hiding his displeasure even though Cinderheart could read him like a book. As he was about to apologize though, Cinderheart cut him off with a gentle smile, unconsciously making his heart melt.

"Hey, don't worry about it Blaze, there's always next time right?"

Lionblaze nodded smiling as well before his expression changed to shocked as Cinderheart suddenly smirked and raised her silver eyebrows.

"That being said," her blue eyes twinkled lightly, "it's my turn." She brushed past the confused boy and flipped a euro onto the counter, "mind if I give it a try?"

The man shrugged impassively, took the currency and handed her a freshly loaded pin pong ball launcher, "knock yourself out kid."

Cinderheart grinned and settled into a semi experienced stance, aiming the launcher carefully. The way she was standing made the late evening light hit the silver haired girl beautifully, turning the ends of her lightly wavy hair to gold. Her attire was simple yet elegant, and completely Cinderheart. With a blue dress with gold trim that brought the calm yet stormy blue pools of her almond shaped blue eyes, and had a slit up the left side, showing off her long legs toned from soccer and teasingly her lightly tanned skin. Around her waist and cinching the dress, keeping it close to her body before letting it fall rather straight at the hips down was a slim golden belt with silver buckle, and the dress was embellished with flowers.

She had been beautiful earlier, the morning of the festival, but the soft yellow and orange light of the setting sun caused her eyes to lighten from a stormy blue sea that made Lionblaze's breath catch to a soft afternoon sky. Like the color of a sunny sky and you knew that nothing was going to go wrong that. It hit her skin softly, highlighting the skin of her upper arms and sleeveless shoulders, while also causing the faint freckles in her skin to be more visible from a further range. All in all she was breathtaking and beautiful, and Lionblaze couldn't keep his eyes off her.

Imagine his and the other man's shock when hardly ten seconds in the game they heard the sound of a ping pong ball bouncing cleaning off of the figurine.

Lionblaze's amber eyes snapped from watching Cinderheart and her current stance, to the figure atop it's moving platform where it wobbled perilously. He watched as Cinderheart's eyes narrowed in concentration and she lined up another shot before pressing the trigger. The ping pong ball nailed the figure right in the middle and it toppled over. Leaving both men gawking at her.

The man's eyes were still wide with surprise as he spoke to Cinderheart who put down the launcher onto the counter with a faintly smug air about her. "Well done young lady, which one would you like?" He asked, gesturing to the prize rack above and behind him.

Cinderheart pointed to the golden brown tabby cat she had been talking about earlier as one half of a cat couple, "that one please," she spoke politely.

The man reached up and took it down for her before he handed it to her and she promptly pushed it into Lionblaze's arms with a smile. Her eyes softening as she gazed at him for the few seconds as she pushed the stuffed toy into his arms. "Here, he looks a little like you," she reached up and lightly ruffled his blonde hair as she said that before she turned back to the man behind the counter with a smile, a different one than the one she had given Lionblaze.

"I guess… wait, it's for me?" Lionblaze asked, looking down at the stuffed toy in his arms before looking up at his girlfriend. Who was already sliding another euro over the counter.

"Uh huh," Cinderheart hummed as she picked up the new ping pong ball launcher.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one giving _you_ gifts?"

"Eh, screw tradition. Don't need it anyway," Cinderheart told him with a grin at his direction before she took her first shot and nailed the figurine hard enough that it flew off the platform with ease.

"Alright," Lionblaze said and slung an arm around her waist as the man reached up and fetched the other cat for her, "but where did you learn to do that?"

Cinderheart draped her plushie over her arm and lightly shrugged with a smile as they turned away from the counter, leaving the man in charge of it watching Cinderheart, stunned. "My little sister Violetpaw _**(I remembered her little sister Azra! :D Be proud of me! XD)**_ loves carnival prizes, so over the years I've gotten good at them for her. I've been to more carnivals than I can count actually."

Lionblaze lightly shook his head in amazement, "the more I find out about you the more you intrigue me."

Cinderheart giggled in response.

Lionblaze took his arm from around her a moment later though, "I'm gonna use the bathroom, stay here okay?"

"Mkay," Cinderheart replied and pointed at a semi distant arts and crafts stall, "I'm gonna wait for you over there okay?"

"Gotcha," Lionblaze grinned, "don't wander away," he teased before he pressed his lips to her cheek and jogged off through the crowds of people.

Cinderheart quickly lost sight of his spiky blonde hair and with an affectionate roll of her eyes headed toward the arts and crafts stall she had pointed out earlier. For a few moments she looked curiously at all of the stuff available from homemade dolls and wood carvings, mini baskets, to even little paintings small enough to go in a wallet. She noticed a rather large bowl of what looked like smooth rocks and curiously pushed her hand into it, the cool temperature of the rocks were soothing against her skin.

* * *

 _ *** Cinderheart's Point Of View ***_

"Well well well, look who's enjoying the festival, the new weak little new girl." An icy voice spoke behind me. I knew that voice, I could tell who it was from anywhere. That icy stuck up tone could only belong to one person.

"Heathertail," I spoke her name as I turned around, only to face the one person I could stand to completely live without. If you asked me, the world would be better off without her irritating half the school and getting under my skin. Quite frankly the whole situation had just gotten worse since Heathertail had seen Lionblaze kissing me on the train, which hadn't been worth the teasing from Foxleap and the half amused half annoyed glare from Hollyleaf. _**(See line break between chapters for memory)**_ So she had locked the rest of us in the train and now she was like an annoying mosquito, buzzing around before sinking her teeth into my flesh and constantly getting under my skin. Before I had been fine, I had been slowly but surely keeping my slowly burning fuse and temper under control, but since this trip she had been getting meaner and ruder. Not to mention how I was still sore over her getting back at me for going to the Halloween dance with Lionblaze by having Sunstrike put broken glass in my boots. Those cuts had scarred over and healed thankfully, but now whenever I was in a room Heathertail had access to I checked my shoes for glass before putting them back on. Even in my dorm and hotel room.

"I don't have time for your whining Cinderpaw," she emphasized the young child suffix and my jaw clenched, "where's _my_ boyfriend?"

I felt my hands tense at my sides before I forced them to relax, _Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. Stay calm, the more she gets under my skin the more annoying she becomes._ "For the last time Heathertail," I spoke through my teeth, somehow managing to restrain myself from making my fist meet her fat face. "Lionblaze broke up with you months ago, he's _my_ boyfriend now. Not yours."

"Now, now, now Cinderheart," Heathertail chided as if I were a small child and I worked hard to force my jaw to slacken and my hands to remain still. "Have you ever heard of the Dark Forest?"

"I don't know Heathertail," I spoke as sweetly as I could manage, "do you think I was born yesterday?" I spoke slowly, "then of course I know what the Dark Forest is."

Heathertail looked surprised but her left eyebrow twitched in irritation at my attempt to patronize her, "well since you know so much I bet you also know that Lionblaze is a member of the Dark Forest as well."

"Of course I do- Wait what?!" My eyes widened and my jaw dropped, Lionblaze was part of the Dark Forest?! My Lionblaze?

Heathertail smirked, clearly happy to have found a weak spot, which I didn't have many of. Since I ignored her for the most part and didn't react to most of anything she said on a daily basis. Not to mention I ignored her virtually every time she interrupted my time with Lionblaze, which was virtually every day. "What? You didn't know?" She looked mock surprised, "I thought the whole school knew by now!" Heathertail's smirk widened, "Lionblaze comes to the Dark Forest to _see me._ We never broke up, he's just using you. You know, playing with your emotions."

The comment stung more than it should have, and I was really having problems keeping my temper in check. I had promised my sister I wouldn't get into any fights, even though I rarely started them, and I was going to hold out as long as I could against this pest of a girl. "Heathertail…" I warned lowly, clenching my arms and speaking slowly with care. "I don't want any of your ridiculous lies."

"Lies? Oh Cinder darling," Heathertail smirked, "Lionblaze has _always_ liked to play with someone else's emotions," she sighed in an adoring fashion, "he's always liked to do that."

Nightcloud's comment didn't help my terrible mood. "Honestly, did you really think Lionblaze would ever be with someone like you? A frail soccer player who breaks her ankle in the first game and has a terrible self image?" She lightly shook her head, "how stupid."

Tears stung at the corners of my eyes while I tried valiantly to stay strong, keeping my chin up and raised, hands at my sides, and my eyes clear. Everything had gone from fun and relaxing to harsh and terrible in barely a few minutes. I had been bullied before, but never like this. Hounded on by a girl jealous of me getting her ex.'s attention and making my life a living hell. _(I don't usually swear, but it's context is as a place so I'm not swearing :P)_ Coming to Hexagon Academy all I had wanted was a quiet school with a soccer team and a few friends, maybe eventually finding a guy who liked me enough to be with me. Not stealing the attention from the Queen Bee and having my ankle broken and being injured more than anywhere else I had ever been. All because of Heathertail. My anger bubbled beneath the surface and yet I still contained it, breathing slow and deep breaths while Heathertail's cronies continued to beat on me with their verbal assault.

Dawnpelt's sneer was a kick to the stomach, and I wanted to cry. "To him you're just a sort of pretty face and new opportunity, once he gets you to himself he'll drop you like the worthless cry baby you are and get back together with Heathertail."

The tears stung harder at my eyes and I could've sworn I heard Sunstrike mutter, "Please don't cry…" under her breath. She had been looking at the ground the entire time, shame painted over her pretty face as she quietly scuffed the ground with the toe of her sandaled heels.

"You're deluding yourself into thinking you mean _anything_ to Lionblaze."

"I bet you even developed feelings for him, didn't you?"

"Completely moronic."

The tears stung harder and I blinked hard to push them back, refusing to let Heathertail see me cry. She could see me laugh, or glare, or just look cooly at her, but _never_ would I allow her to see my cry.

Still, she somehow managed to tell I was holding back tears. "Aww, is the poor little cry baby gonna cry? Why don't you run home to your parents then and hide, huh?"

They all laughed at the statement and I couldn't hold it back anymore. I spoke in a hoarse tone, my vision blurring slightly with withheld tears even as I carefully put the stuffed cat in my arms on the counter behind me. "Screw being calm," I said, my voice cracking with my emotions and stress, months of this harassment, months of quietly dealing with it and keeping it to myself and sometimes Hollyleaf my dorm-mate, "I've tried for long enough." With that it was like the wall inside of me holding back all of my rage and hurt, my shame from the things Heathertail's done to me, and the feeling someone got when they couldn't handle being terrorized anymore, exploded. With a roar of pure fury and resentment I charged headlong at Heathertail. My shoulder connecting hard with her ribs and I hunched over and charged, throwing my weight behind the charge and knocking us both to the ground. I landed on top of her from my charge and promptly punched her where I had wanted to since I saw her annoying pretty face. Right in the kisser. I hated this girl, I hated her with all my being. She made my life here a literal living hell and I was done, I couldn't do it anymore! This demon had to stop haunting me, I wanted my life back, with Lionblaze without her haunting my every movement.

I couldn't see straight from the tears no doubt trickling down my face and I didn't care about Heathertail's indignant screech of pain as I punched her again and again, yelling something even I could barely recognize through the gasping tears and harsh breathing. "I hate you! Why won't you leave me alone?! I hate you Heathertail!"

My fingers yanked at her ear without thinking, blood staining my fingers red as her hoop earing was ripped out by my other hand, blood beginning to run down her ear and stain her neck and collarbone.

Heathertail screeched in fury and a moment later I felt my back collide hard with the earth as she flipped us over and nailed me in the face.

I could barely feel the pain over the emotions running through my body. I just wanted it to stop… The harassment, the bullying, the harsh beatings on my confidence, I wanted it to stop. "G't off me!" It was clear even in my fogged status that Heathertail was a skilled fighter as her fingernails raked down my right cheek and she punched me in the soft spot under the ribs, knocking the air out of me. I lifted my arms to block her attacks and felt the bones in my arms resonate in pain as I blocked some of her attacks while striking at her with a few of my own, blindly trying to hit her with my tear blurry vision. I was physically stronger sure, but I was dazed, confused, and over run with enough emotions that my body practically hummed with it. "I just want it to stop," I moaned through my tears before Heathertail broke through my defense and nailed me in the upper lip, causing pain to erupt in my face and make me gasp before the next punch cleared some of the fog in my eyes. Not that it mattered, Heathertail had me pinned with one hand scratching my scalp in her grip on my silver hair.

I could vaguely see Heathertail's friends watching in shock while Sunstrike had her hands over her mouth and was just staring at them wide eyed, a rather repulsed look in her eyes.

Heathertail leaned close to my ear, panting with a snarling sneer on her face, "you dare attack me you wretched piece of filth? I'm more than you'll ever be. Get up." She moved off of me but kept her grip on my silver hair and I winced and complied, feeling drained and sluggish.

Slowly I managed to move into a kneeling position, and got a lungful of dirt when Heathertail kicked me in the back, sending me sprawling onto the dirt. I couldn't hide it anymore, I gave up and flat out cried, burying my face into my arms and sobbing. I couldn't do anything against her, Heathertail would always beat me, and she would always be there to make my life miserable.

Suddenly something caught my shoulder after a sharp whistling sound and I gasped in pain before I screamed, getting everyone's attention in the near vicinity and scrabbling to grab my pain filled shoulder and simultaneously roll onto my back to see what she was using against me now.

Imagine my surprise and horror to see Heathertail holding a jet black whip in her hand, the tail now stained with my bood. Today just kept getting worse. I could faintly see the Dark Forest's Symbol on the handle, the silhouette of a snarling cat, and terror flooded my veins. That mixed with the pain wracking my body cleared my mind and vision, revealing Heathertail sneering above me.

I scrambled backward, or at least tried to before Heathertail slammed her heel booted foot down onto my weak ankle, the recently broken one, and kept me pinned. "No… no, no, no…" My blue eyes followed the whip intently, one hand holding my bleeding and aching shoulder, the other propping me up. I never could've imagined what I would get myself into today, I never wanted a fight like this, and I never wanted to fight against a member of the Dark Forest. Never in my life. "Let me go!" My voice was high pitched in fear and I struggled viciously, pain shooting up my ankle in the process, "let me go!"

"Heathertail," Sunstrike weakly pleaded, "she's learned her lesson-"

"Not now Sunstrike! I want my revenge!" Heathertail snapped at her and with a violent swishing motion the whip came back down with a whistle as it broke the sound barrier.

I screwed my eyes shut, trembling and waiting for the second blow, a blow no doubt to my torso instead of licking my shoulder, but… It never came.

"Cinderheart!" I heard the yell of Lionblaze an angry snarl, a gasp of pain, and a shriek from Heathertail.

Tentatively I opened my eyes, feeling my vision spin with dizziness and saw Lionblaze standing over me, the whip wrapped tightly around the palm and back of his hand. There was a bloody gash where the weapon had struck, and I blinked as blood droplets dripped down onto my face. Sliding down my nose and cheek to sting the bloody scratches on my face from Heathertail's nails.

There was a flash of blonde hair and Ivypool of all people came racing by. She dodged past Lionblaze and tackled Heathertail hard, knocking them both to the ground and ripping the whip from her hands. The blonde girl was _attacking_ Heathertail.

Heathertail's cronies tried to flee and escape, but the rest of our group showed up and stopped them, all of them looking pretty pissed. Icecloud had Dawnpelt by the collar of her shirt and was lifting her up, eyes furious, and Sunstrike of all people had tackled Nightcloud to the ground and was now looking at me. I could see shame, concern, and worry in her shamed eyes and didn't have the heart to hold anything against her. I nodded a little to her before most of my vision was blocked by Lionblaze dropping to his knees and pulling me into his arms, tucking my stinging face into his chest and wrapping his arms around my back. What Heathertail had said earlier definitely bothered me, but I was in pain, my body was screaming at me, and Lionblaze was the only one who could make me feel better in this moment. So I let the rest of my walls crumble and buried my bloody face into his button down shirt and bawled, not caring what anyone else thought about me so long as Lionblaze was there, pulling me onto his lap and hunching his broad shoulders around my small frame, one of his hands softly stroking my messy and dirty silver hair. I couldn't care less if Heathertail had been speaking the truth as long as I had him here with me, in this moment. I would worry about Heathertail's words after my body healed, until then? I was never going to leave the safety of my boyfriend's embrace.

* * *

 _ **Okay wow, that ended up a lot longer than I thought it would be XD I'll have to do Chapter 45 in a different chapter seeing how just the ENDING to Chapter 44 is over 3000 words XD And wow, it got pretty dark at the end there, I think it's from remembering how Azrakatz said Hexagon wasn't gonna be one of those fluffy warriors high stories, and I've always wanted to bring that out in the story a little bit… Anyway, it's done now, I think this is gonna have 3 chapters, like this**_

 _ **~Chapter 44 Ending Rewrite (I Can't Take it Anymore)**_

 _ **~Chapter 31 Missing Moment (Train Ride Kiss, Heathertail Ain't Happy)**_

 _ **~Chapter 45 Rewrite & Expansion (The Truth Lionblaze… All of it…)**_

 _ **But we'll see :D Till the next chapter or story!**_


	2. I Won't Let It Change Us

_**~Azrakatz~**_

 _Yeeesss! I did a good job! :D_

 _I added the comforting bit because I feel like after them being together from the Halloween Dance ish to the Spring Fling, they'd be pretty close by now, just not around everyone else where they'd tease them to death. Cinderheart's gone through sooooo much! Anybody would break down after that nonsense over that amount of time right?_

 _Sunstrike's such a quietly timid character that I wanted to portray her gentle side, and she's featured at the end of my rewrite :P_

 _The Cinderpaw thing is designed to be that way, Heathertail's essentially calling her a pathetic child with the 'paw' suffix :P Although to be honest I designed it because I don't usually swear in my stories, unless Cynthia's cursing of course XD, you can use it, be my guest!_

 _Violetpaw's mentioned in the first chapter and the pool aftermath one with big blue eyes and used to tug on her sister's sleeves :D I don't have a lot of material to work with with Violetpaw, but I try to include her as well ^_^_

 _I'm glad you like it, I really enjoyed writing it :D Snowcrystal of ThunderClan recommends we write a collab XD :D_

 _ **~Snowcrystal of Thunderclan~**_

 _Yes, yes we should! :D_

 _Do you know how many times I screwed up on the names? I kept writing 'Cynthia' and 'Leon' and particularly 'Holly' out of pure habit XD Btw I'm working on a new WHSS chapter, it's gonna be a weird one though XD_

* * *

 _I Won't Let It Change Us_

Sitting casually on the medic's counter while I pointlessly watched Lionblaze get fussed over by Leafpool was rather hilarious, add on how a few of us who had missed out on the actual fight were sitting around snickering and it made it so much better. It wasn't like I could actually see anything, being completely blind, but I could hear Leafpool's constant fussing, the sounds of the bandages and ointment containers she opened, and I could smell those too.

Another person jumped up onto the counter next to me. By sound of a soft leather bound book being opened, the faint crinkling of paper along with the way the end of an unzipped jacket brushed against his leg at their movements, I guessed it was Briarlight, who seemed to be taking notes on what Leafpool was doing. Like she always did, the girl didn't want to be a medic, but she could've fooled me with what she knows.

I felt warm breath on my ear a moment later and heard her whisper, "what happened exactly Jayfeather?" Her breath smelled of wintermint, yet the scent wasn't sharp and didn't sting your nose.

I turned my head in the direction of her voice once I felt her move away from my ear and responded in a low tone that matched hers. "Well…" I droned in a boring fashion on purpose, "Cinderheart went with my idiot of a brother to the festival-"

Briarlight lightly pushed me with one hand, a teasing tone in her hushed voice, "I already know that silly, I mean what did he get hit by that caused that?" I guessed she was pointing to it and was about to sharply retort I couldn't see it before she continued, surprising me. "He's got this massive red welt wrapping around his palm, the back of his hand, and wrist with some of his skin broken. You can't do that in a simple fight, not to mention that Cinderheart's been completely silent ever since he brought her back here." I opened my mouth to ask where the silver haired girl was, feeling a sharp spark of concern for the girl and my brother's girlfriend. Cinderheart had gone through a lot in her first year here so far, and after getting a beating from Heathertail like Holly had told me she should have someone keep an eye on her. Again Briarlight beat me to the punch. "She's in the girls hotel room, I told Hollyleaf to let her sleep but to wake her up every hour for a concussion, she does have a similar welt on her shoulder that was bleeding earlier, but she was practically a zombie coming back here. So Halfmoon said she'd keep an eye on her while I check on Lionblaze."

I rolled my eyes and lifted a hand before setting it down roughly where I guessed her head was, she was shorter than me sitting down by a good few inches having longer legs than me, or at least that's what Hollyleaf had told me back when I first met her. Once my hand rested on her silky brown hair, another detail Holly had told me about, I patted it like patting a small child on the head, "wow, good job Briarlight," I drew out the middle two words and a pleased to hear her giggling with laughter instead of taking it the wrong way. I had to be careful on a daily basis how I phrased things, particularly to Halfmoon or I'd offend her, but Briarlight seemed to let everything go over her head, she didn't really care about what people said as long as it had good intentions. It made her different, just like how being so soft spoken made Halfmoon different too.

"Oi' will you two quiet flirting over there?" Lionblaze suddenly huffed, "and pay attention to me?"

"He's pretty much with my best friend remember?" Briarlight pointed out with a snort, "plus I don't know if you haven't noticed yet, but I'm not the type to meddle in my friends' relationships." The way she emphasized the last part of her sentence made me curious, those words had a deeper meaning to Lionblaze and possibly whoever else she was talking about, something I didn't know.

"Lionblaze please stop moving! You're only going to make it worse! I still can't believe that girl would do something like this! Bringing a weapon on the school trip, honestly!"

"It's not that bad Leafpool," Lionblaze grouched irritably and I grinned, now I understood what Holly had said that I sounded like a grouchy bear on a daily basis. Listening to someone else sound like that really put it into perspective. "Whatever, how's Cinderheart?"

Briarlight seemed to know what I was thinking as she giggled for a second before she sobered up and spoke to him, "she was asleep the last time I checked, but we've cleaned off the scratches on her face and had her clean up before that point. She's got some bruising going on for sure, and I think Heathertail may have cracked one of her ribs," I heard Leafpool gasp at this, "but for having no kind of training and facing off against Heathertail of all people she's better off than expected."

I heard my brother breathe out a heavy sigh of relief and weighed a few options in my head, I could help my brother escape Leafpool's clutches and take him to Cinderheart, being that I was a medic in training and that Briarlight also knew how a good amount of the training as well. I once asked her why she wanted to learn it, but at the time the answer didn't make any sense. 'I feel like something odd is going to happen at some point Jayfeather,' but now after helping Ivypool in the past with her Dark Forst injuries, helping with his brother's own injuries, and now Heathertail pulling a whip on Cinderheart, it all clicked into place. _Alright, I've sat on my butt for long enough._ I slid off the counter and approached Leafpool and Lionblaze as she wrapped his hand and wrist in an ace bandage, able to hear the fabric rubbing against skin and the pained hissing from my brother.

"Come on Lionblaze, I should check on Cinderheart anyway. I bet Briarlight has it covered but double checking won't hurt." I directed my blind gaze at my mentor and teacher, "Is that okay with you?"  
"Of course, but Lionblaze sweetheart, tell me if either of you need anything, this kind of event can be very traumatizing, especially to kids your age."

I restrained my snort at the word "sweetheart," while behind me, Briarlight snickered and brushed passed.

"I'll make sure nothing happens till you get up there, see ya later _sweetie-pie,_ " Briarlight snickered and I couldn't help but grin while I heard my brother splutter indignantly.

"What, is the big Lionblaze ashamed of having a girl call him that?" I teased my brother merilessly as I grabbed him by the upper arm and started toward where I knew the door was, "what if Briarlight called you something else? Maybe dearie? Or what about honey?" I could tell he was getting further and further embarrassed, and I had one more nickname under my belt, one he didn't know I even knew about. "Well you call Cinderheart Sunshine when it's just you two," I heard and felt my brother stumble and smirked, "so what does she call you? Hey, how about I ask everyone?" I raised my voice and snickered when my brother shoved a hand over my mouth.

"No! Jayfeather for the love of everything that's holy don't you dare!"

I smirked pulled his hand from my face, speaking loudly while walking away from him, "come on Lionblaze, are you scared to tell me? I know she calls you Leo on occasion, no idea where that's from, and Blaze, everyone knows that, but," I spoke even louder, "beyond that I have no idea. So… what does-"

Lionblaze darted over and pulled me into a choke hold without actually choking me, "shut up! Shut up!" I could imagine his face all red and embarrassed, "I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"

I laughed, and could tell it made him happy, it was hard to pull genuine laughter out of me on a good day, on a day like this? Huh, I guess Briarlight's got more of an influence on me than I thought.

"Cinderheart doesn't do nicknames usually besides Blaze or Leo-"

I opened my mouth to speak again but heard my brother hasten to speak.

"Okay okay!"

* * *

 _ ***3rd Person POV***_

Knocking on the girls' hotel room door, Lionblaze hadn't expected to see Cinderheart be the one to open it. He had expected her to be in there yes, but not to open the door.

Cinderheart slowly opened the door and for a few moments just looked at the pair of brothers, her sapphiier blue eyes flicking between them both.

Lionblaze meanwhile took in the sight of his girlfriend, the bruising which hadn't yet emerged at the festival, was highly visible, with various colors, and she had one arms wrapped around her midrift, a sign he knew from experience meant that her ribs were aching or painful. His throat closed up, in this moment she looked like she had just come from the Dark Forest. He was used to seeing other students looking all beat up and bloody from there with a haunted look in their eyes, but never Cinderheart. She had broken her ankle, yes, had glass put in her shoes, yes, but never beat up and bruised with a haunted glaze in her blue eyes like she felt like a trapped animal, never able to escape her predator. Like him in the dark forest.

The skin around her left eye was bruised and turning purple, the nail marks on her cheek where scabbed over with faint purple bruising around them from the force Heathertail put into the attack, her knuckles were scabbed and the back of both hands were bruised up as well. The skin of her arms was reddened and inflamed with speckled bruises the shape of Heathertail's fists where she had blocked some of Heathertail's attacks, and Lionblaze's heart was in his throat at the sight of the tip of the welt delivered to her shoulder and how much worse it was for her than him. His body was used to fighting, so his skin was tougher and his flesh in general was more resilient, while Cinderheart… Cinderheart had such a long fuse in her temper that she didn't fight, she silently shouldered her load and kept going. For months, and months, and months. Her body was soft and yes it was strong, but her skin prone to breaking and she was easily injured. His welt was simply just a welt with the center of it barely having bled at all, while Cinderheart's…

"Let them in Cinderheart," Hollyleaf spoke to her friend in a gentle voice, they could see her, Halfmoon, and Honeyfern sitting on the floor with a deck of UNO cards with an open spot for Cinderheart where a small hand of cards was laying face up on the ground.

Briarlight was sitting on one of the dressers indian style with her back to a window, amber eyes intently focused on the numb and beaten silver haired girl that they all had learned to love to have around.

Cinderheart numbly did as Hollyleaf said before she turned around and headed back toward the others, unintentionally giving Lionblaze a full view of her welt from the whip.

Cinderheart's welt went from the top of her shoulder and down to disappear beneath the tank top she was wearing. The skin around the welt was angry and inflamed, while the whip had broken her skin where it hit her and cracked it around it, leaving feeble attempts of scabbing and the trickling blood where they couldn't do anything to fix it without hurting her.

Lionblaze froze, his eyes fixed on the injury that would definitely scar. He couldn't help the nickname that slipped out from his lips, seeing her be so numb, so beat up, and so… broken. "Sweetheart.." He didn't care his brother blinked in surprise and the girls exchanged shocked glances and knew he would be teased later for it as long as Cinderheart froze in her tracks, like she just recognized he was there.

Cinderheart slowly turned around to face him and Jayfeather, her silver eyebrows furrowing together in confusion as she focused properly on Lionblaze blinking. "Lionblaze?" She rasped, her voice was raw from her violent scream earlier and now raspy from disuse, and it made Lionblaze's heart feel like it was being stabbed. Right now his girlfriend looked and sounded like she had just returned from the Dark Forest, and it made the strong strawberry-blonde want to cry. He had wanted to protect her from that part of his life, the part that right now he was stuck with and was working with his brother to stop. Yet it all came together here, like this. Without thinking about if she hated him for what Heatheartail had told her about him being part of the Dark Forest, he lifted his arms and Cinderheart limped into his embrace practically as fast as she could move. She slowly wound her bruised arms around his neck, her face pressed into his shirt.

Lionblaze realized her body was trembling and he felt his heart squeeze, there were many things he wanted to say, 'I'm sorry,' 'are you okay?' 'How're you feeling?' but nothing came out of his mouth.

Cinderheart clung to him like she just wanted him to hold her, like she had wanted earlier at the scene of Heathertail's skirmish with her. He was glad she didn't seem to hate him, but at the same time, he knew Heathertail's words hadn't settled in yet for her. She was too numb, injured, and mentally beaten and abused by Heathertail's harsh actions against her to even think about having her faith in him waver. She needed time, time to recover and in a way lick her wounds and settle her spinning mind. He knew what it was like being chased by a predator he could never escape, and for Cinderheart this feeling was finally surfacing. After months of Heathertail torturing her for no reason other than _he_ liked her and started dating her, Cinderheart had finally have that feeling kick in.

Still, he wanted to apologize, and so he did. With one hand threaded in her messy silver hair and the other arm curled around her waist, holding her close, he whispered an apology into her ear, "I'm so sorry, I never wanted you to get pulled into this, especially by Heathertail. It's all my fault."

Cinderheart said nothing but tightened her arms around his neck and shook a little more, a faint whimper escaping her lips that broke Lionblaze's heart.

So with a brief glance around the room and locating the small beanbag pushed into the corner of the room, Lionblaze removed his hand from Cinderheart's hair, slid that arm beneath her knees, and lifted her up in a form of a princess hug. He then walked over to the beanbag, Cinderheart's beaten body held carefully in his arms. Once he reached it he carefully sat down with Cinderheart sitting side saddle in his lap and looped his arms around her slender form, burying his nose into the top of her head and taking a deep breath of her mint scented silver hair. _**(I remembered the tidbit of Cinderheart's favorite scent being Mint in the swimming pool disaster chapter! :D)**_ _I wish I could've stopped this earlier… I wish I could've stopped her from hurting you, from making you doubt me, and probably even hating me after you recover. But for now…_ Lionblaze tightened his embrace around Cinderheart, _I want you to rest, safe with the assurance that I'd rather fight in the Dark Forest forever than let anyone hurt you while you heal._ Tears nobody else could see dripped the occasional drip to mix with Cinderheart's damp hair, _Please don't hate me, I beg of you please don't hate me Cinderheart once you straighten out your thoughts. I'd rather be with Heathertail than have you hate me for being stuck in a situation I can not escape._

He was scared, the idea of Heathertail being locked up in the Dark Sector was far worse than her roaming around the school harassing Cinderheart every day. Now she was exiled, now she had direct contact with Brokenstar and Tigerstar themselves. But that thought scared him more than anything else. Heathertail could easily emass followers and things would only get worse from here. He knew from experience that the light barriers were anything but secure. _How did I get myself into this mess?_ Lionblaze wondered as Cinderherat broke into tears for the seconds time that day and he drew her even closer, _and what does she even think about me?_

* * *

"Bluestar!" Firestar hurried after the blue haired woman, frustration in the ginger teacher's voice, "this isn't some oddity, this is proof! I've received reports for months from anonymous students telling me that Heathertail's dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly! I've witnessed her harass the new student Cinderheart with directions to not get involved, but this? This is different!"

"I don't want to hear it Firestar," Bluestar stated haughtily and continued to stride off down the hallway. "I am up to my ears in things to do before we send the students back to Hexagon, and haven't decided if this trip was worth it in the long run. Too many students have gotten hurt this trip for it to continue."

"Yes, I agree but-"

"The students need to pack, The Teleportix requires to charge in order to transport everyone back to the academy,and the hotel needs to be paid along with the zip lines and other activities. I do not have time for your many theories of what the Dark Forest and the Dark Sector are up to when they are none of my concern."

"Bluestar! You must see reason!" Firestar exclaimed, clutching the clear case containing Heathertail's whip, the tail and end of the actually whip stained with Lionblaze and Cinderheart's blood. The beautifully crafted weapon lay deadly in the clear glass, mocking the rest of the world with the fear and confusion it brought being in the hands of a teenage girl. "Look!" He seized his boss by the shoulder and jammed a finger toward the symbol etched into the whip's sturdy leather handle, "I've seen this symbol before! On students' clothes, technology and other belongings! Most of the faculty have suspicions that the Dark Sector is becoming a rallying point for students who feel used or mistreated! Don't you see Bluestar! This is serious!" His green eyes searched Bluestar's impassive blue ones looking for a spark the Dean of the school had lost that fateful day Tigerstar was sent to kill her. From the Dark Sector. "Students are going missing only to turn up dead!" Firestar pleaded with her worried about the safety of their students at the school. "Their bodies mangled and broken to be nearly unrecognizable! A student was whipped with this whip," he held up the case, "over a boy! Students are being harassed and threatened by the students who support the Dark Sector, this will never end if we don't take action! How many more students are going to get hurt or worse die?!"

"Firestar," she spoke cooly and shouldered her messenger bag in an indifferent manner, "you are not to get involved in my reasons behind leaving the Dark Sector alone. They aren't doing anything of the sort. Now, I have places to be and things to do before we leave. Get the Thunder students packed and ready." She turned and began walking down the hall, "do not question me again."

"Bluestar-!"

"That's enough Firestar."

"THEY'RE BUILDING AN ARMY!" Firestar shouted, his yell echoing around the deserted halls, and yet, Bluestar just kept walking.

"Maybe so, but it's _your_ job to take care of it." With the sense that the conversation was completely over, the head of the school turned a corner and disappeared from the ginger hed's sight.

Firester fell to his knee in a hopeless and helpless manner. How was he supposed to take care of something he had no proof on besides the whip in his grasp? How was he supposed to stop this before it killed another student?

A moment later Firest felt a small teenage hand rest on his shoulder and looked up to see Ivypool, the blonde student was pale in the face, and in one hand held a pliable black leather belt. Where three broken knives rested comfortably snuggled in their sheaths. "Firestar?" The student asked even as Firestar stared at the belt in her grasp, "I… I think I can help you." The usually silent student spoke, her voice shaking slightly. "I've seen that weapon before. In the Dark Sector."

Firestar's eyes widened.

* * *

 _ ***Cinderheart's POV***_

The gravel beneath my shoes crunched softly as I walked out of the hotel and into the park's running paths, a burst of icy air nipping at my exposed arms. With a soft sigh I gazed around the park, blue eyes wandering around and looking at everyone around me. It wasn't quite lights out just yet, so there were a few groups of students hanging around the park. I started moving, moving at a jogging pace as I let my feet guide me around the winding paths that sprawled around the hotel. My mind was occupied, conflicted and confused about the whole situation in front of me.

I passed few friends chatting and laughing together and a kissing couple under one of the street lights and sped up without thinking to move faster past them. The couple reminded me of my situation with Lionblaze, what was I supposed to think? Him being a member of the Dark Sector? Absurd. However… it seemed to click into place like a missing puzzle piece. The injuries he always seemed to have every other morning, the way he'd fall asleep at lunch or sometimes on my shoulder while we were benched during soccer practice, and definitely the way he shared nods of acknowledgement with students he usually had nothing to do with. Of course, the whole thing did come out of Heathertail's mouth. So I have absolutely no reason to believe a single word about the whole situation, but I couldn't shake off the reluctant feeling that something, some part of it, was true. The whole Lionblaze dating her in secret was about as fabricated as a movie, Lionblaze couldn't stand her to be in the same room as him. But the whole Dark Sector thing?

I had visited Jayfeather and Lionblaze's dorm room on more than one occasion and more times than not his bed was a mess, but unslept in. And once or twice I had heard Briarlight's voice chiding Lionblaze for something or other and Jayfeather huffily telling his brother to stop getting injured all the time. I had even seen blood stained bandages, medical ointments, and gauze in the garbage a few times. Lionblaze had always claimed he was clumsy, but I knew better after soccer for a little while and he could dance perfectly fine as well, which he had shown off to me at the Halloween dance. My boyfriend was very coordinated for a guy his size, and Hollyleaf had more of a chance of failing a test than him being clumsy on a daily basis.

 _My boyfriend's a member of the Dark Sector, well perfect._ I sighed, slowing to a stop and catching my breath while also closing my eyes in a tired out manner. My shoulder and ribs still ached despite the ibuprofen in my system and my eyes felt itchy from crying earlier. I was such a mess.

"C-Cinderheart?" A quiet voice asked softly and just about gave me a heart attack. "Oh s-sorry! I didn't mean to scare you," they said quietly when I stumbled backward. My eyes snapping open with panic. In front of me was a rather startled and timid looking strawberry blonde with sunset colored eyes, who without all of of the makeup Heathertail had her wear, was a pretty girl.

"Sunstrike," I greeted, slightly confused and highly surprised to see her anywhere near me. Not to mention without the getup Heathertail had her wear. The quiet spoken girl was wearing simple blue jeans and tank-top beneath a comfortable looking hoodie with running shoes of her own. To my surprise, Sunstrike had soft freckles under her eyes and on her cheeks, and had faint mostly healed bruising on her left cheek. "What're you do here? And where'd the bruise come from?"

Sunstrike looked nervously at me before she smiled weakly, "Heathertail," she said simply, "but I wanted to talk to you… and apologize for the Halloween Dance."

I blinked and wracked my brain for what she could be talking about before it hit me, Sunstrike had been the one to actually put the glass in my shoes back at the Halloween Dance. "Oh, don't worry about it," I smiled at the girl, "I know it was Heathertail's fault."

"I could've told her I wouldn't," Suntrike murmured and pointed out while she scuffed the ground with the toe of her running shoes, "then I wouldn't have hurt either of us."

 _Either of us?... She must've cut herself on the glass in the process!_ I rested a hand on the timid girl's shoulder, "I would rather you went along with what Heathertail said and saved yourself from getting hurt than trying to defend me. Thank you for today though," at Sunstrike's startled look of confusion I continued, smiling gratefully at her. "For trying to comfort me while Heathertail and her minions attacked me like that. I heard you trying to tell me to not cry."

Sunstrike's eyes widened and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights for a few moments before I laughed and smiled, trying to help her relax and understand I wasn't mad at her for anything. "You tried to defend me from Heathertail, what else could I ask for in a friend of sorts? Sunstrike, whatever Heathertail made you do doesn't make you a bad person," I told her sincerely, putting a hand on her shoulder once again. "In a pinch you made the decision to tackle one of your friends to prevent them from escaping, and you tried to make Heathertail stop." Feeling concerned for the timid girl and understanding that Heathertail had used her, I stepped forward and hugged her, "you're a good person Sunstrike, no matter what Heathertail said."

I felt Sunstrike tentatively hug me back and heard her speak quietly in my ear, words that she may not have known how much I needed to hear from someone. "So is Lionblaze Cinderheart, Lionblaze is a good person too."

 _I know he is, deep down I know he's a good person._ I could feel my unstable emotions bubbling up again but forced them down, now was not the time to freak out about my boyfriend being part of the Dark Sector's rumored army. "You know what Sunstrike?" I said to the shorter girl once I pulled back, and confidently stuck out a hand. "I think we're gonna be good friends."

Sunstrike smiled tentatively and I saw water shimmering in her eyes and felt confused, and alarmed. Did I offend the timid girl? I know I'm a confident person, but I usually didn't come off as rude…

"Sorry," Sunstrike apologized and hastily rubbed the water from her eyes with one hand, still looking at me. "I don't… I don't really have any friends."

My heart squeezed, I may new still called the new girl, but this girl was sorely misunderstood. She was just a shy girl my age who had gotten involved in the wrong crowd. _Sunstrike… I'm so sorry…_ Without warning I lunged forward and hugged her again, "well you're my friend now, and I _will_ _never_ be Heathertail."

I felt Sunstrike hug me back and felt the smaller girl's tears of relief of not being alone anymore. I knew what it was like being on Heathertail's bad side, and so did she. Despite the events of today, the pain still wracking my body, and the revelation that Lionblaze was part of the Dark Sector, today was a good day. I had made a new friend, someone who needed a friend who understood what it was like to be her.

I heard Sunstrike's voice in my ear again a moment later, whispering softly, her voice shaking. "Lionblaze is a good person, he just got pulled into something he can't get out of. Something he's forced to keep going without regard to the consequences..."

"Like you," I realized, understanding what Sunstrike was going towards in this conversation.

"Yeah," Sunstrike hugged me a little tighter, "but you saved me. You can save him too."

"How?" I looked down at her, probably showing my distress in my blue eyes, "I've proven I can't fight at all."

Sunstrike pulled away from me and looked up at me, her eyes while shimmering with tears, glittered with a confidence I hadn't seen in her before. "By just being you. Cinderheart," She grasped my hands, "just be yourself, you're good at that right?"

I looked at her, the stress and muddled problems of my mind smoothing out a little as Sunstrike pointed out a way of escape, by just being myself. "I guess…"

"Just be yourself Cinderheart, and you'll save him without trying."

I looked at Sunstrike, searching my new friend's eyes and clinging to the hope her words gave me. "Okay, I can do that."

Sunstrike smiled and for a few moments I hated Heathertail even more, for ruining another person's life at the school when I knew people would be looking for attention if Heathertail hadn't interrupted.

I made up my mind, I was going to talk to Lionblaze and straighten this out, but on top of everything, nothing was going to change between us. I had the niggling feeling in the back of my mind that my crush on him was changing, deepening to something different and something that scared me. However, I brushed it off, gave Sunstrike one more hug and jogged toward the hotel with resolve. I may hate the situation, I may despise Heathertail for everything she's done to us, and I may be terrified of the Dark Sector, but I would _never_ be scared or nor hate Lionblaze.

* * *

 _ **Aaaand it's a wrap! What do you guys think? I did take a lot of creative liberty with Sunstrike, since I've always felt bad for her character and in chapter 45 of Hexagon she seems so small and delicate that I had to expand on her character and have her talk to Cinderheart about Lionblaze.**_

 _ **And in this rewrite Cinderheart's feelings are developing and changing! Squeee I'm so excited! :D**_

 _ **I particularly enjoyed writing this chapter even though it took a while, and I think I'm gonna write a bunch of goofy little scenes I've imagined to go between chapters after this, so there may be a few short little chapters released, probably some scenes that further anger Heathertail and show why she resorted to baiting Cinderheart into a fight ^_^ Buuuut anyway, hope you all had a good read, and please review and tell me what you think! :D**_

* * *

 _ **Chapters From Hexagon Used for Info**_

 _Chapter 45_

 _Chapter 20 Halloween Dance_

 _Chapter 11 Ivypool's Secret_

 _And a few others I can't remember which ones XD_


	3. Valentines Dinner Ending (Stargazing)

_**~Briarfeather4fun~**_

 _I'm glad you liked both of the chapters, and Azra and I's stories! :D I had so much fun working with Azra on the Hexagon book! :D_

 _I feel like Sunstrike was a little forgotten after Cinderheart and Heathertail's fight and wanted to highlight her character, so used creative liberty to expand on Sunstrike's character ^-^_

 _ **~Snowcrystal of thunderclan~**_

 _We did! Don't tie me up! XD_

 _Yeah I actually designed Leon's name to roughly fit Lionblaze XD_

 _I did? :O Crap XD XD_

 _Briarfeather! XD_

 _Saaammme regarding the Dark Forest activity, which gives me chills as the story progresses XD_

* * *

 _ **I did a collab with Azra! Chapters 50, 51, and 52 are Valentines related collabs between us! This is actually what I meant for the dinner chapter's ending, however I got busy and Azra updated without me (whyyyyyy Azraaaa :( XD).**_

 _ **I finally finished this ending through job changes and graduating high school, and Azra I hope this is roughly what you had expected of me for my ending :D**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 53 Ending Spin Off**_

"Lionblaze, if you keep lifting your elbows you lose," Briarlight sighed, her tone rather bored. Watching the same arm wrestling match for more than two minutes was putting half their table asleep. "Berrynose, kicking him under the table doesn't count."

By now the room had began to empty out, with only our group and the occasional lingering student.

Cinderheart had maintained a mildly interested expression on her face for about four minutes, drumming her remaining fingers on the table. Before she muttered, "this is ridiculous," let the arm she was resting her chin on drop to the ground. Where she then stood up, leaned across the table, and pressed a solid kiss to Lionblaze's nose before moving back and smirking at the results like a devious cheshire cat.

Lionblaze instantly went cross eyed and his ears turned redder than Ron Weasley's before his arm was wrenched as his hand was slammed down to the table by Berrynose.

"Ha! Take that Lionblaze!" Berrynose cackled.

"What?! No way!" Lionblaze blanched as Briarlight announced Berrynose as the winner. "Rematch! That was unfair!"

"No it wasn't," Berrynose scoffed before he turned around and started toward Foxleap and Bumblestripe. "You both owe me fifty each! I beat the team captain!"

Lionblaze was outraged, "she distracted me! How is that fair?"

Briarlight grinned, "all's fair-"

"-in love and war," Jayfeather finished her sentence, his blind eyes twinkling with high levels of amusement.

Lionblaze started putting the plates back on the table, mumbling under his breath the entire time he did so. Something about Berrynose bribing his girlfriend and Cinderheart betraying him.

He then dropped harshly down into the chair next to Cinderheart and gave her the stink eye, "that was mean Cinderheart. You owe me dessert and an Ipad."

Cinderheart's cheeky smirk only got bigger, "if anyone owes someone dessert it's me, you're the one who abandoned your date for a contest we would've been here all night and morning watching."

Lionblaze blinked, stunned, while the rest of the group started cracking up at Cinderheart's rather abrupt but perfectly timed cheeky streak. He then rolled his eyes, stood up, and offered Cinderheart his hand with a sigh, "how about I dance with you and neither of us owe dessert?"

Cinderheart pretended to think about it for a moment before she giggled and took his hand, allowing her boyfriend to pull her to her feet. "Sure Blaze, whatever floats your boat."

"You need music to dance!" Icecloud called to the couple a few moments later who had moved a decent ways away from them by now. "Where's the music?"

Cinderheart and Lionblaze looked over their shoulders at Icecloud, confused expressions on both of their faces before Lionblaze broke out of it and made a dramatic show of bowing low to Cinderheart and pulling her into a basic box step, whatever he was saying was inaudible to the group due to the distance.

Ivypool gave a tight lipped smile, her eyes twinkling softly as she watched the silverette and blonde. "Airpods," she tapped one of her ears as Cinderheart gave a light laugh, "they each have one in opposite ears."

"I'm so glad Cinderheart's happy," Honeyfern said quietly, her green eyes following the pair with a gentle smile, "Heathertail's been giving her utter hell since she got here."

"Same here," Briarlight admitted with a smile, "Cinderheart deserves to be happy for a night too."

Everyone around the table eventually began talking again amongst themselves, Foxleap challenging Berrynose to an arm wrestle and pretending he broke his arm in the process. Eventually even the group began to filter out.

Hollyleaf and Fallen Leaves being last with Hollyleaf looking back at her roommate and her brother softly sway to the music only they could hear. She then smiled slightly, "happy Valentines Day you two," she murmured softly into the close to complete silence of the large room. "You both deserve a break from the drama going on."

* * *

"Lionblaze, why did you drag me out of my very warm bed to out here?" Cinderheart asked groggily as Lionblaze led her by the hand deeper into the greenhouse.

She was wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts, having thrown on the t-shirt over her camisole in the dorm and had tried to wake up completely while Lionblaze patiently did the laces on her tennis shoes.

"I remember you saying you used to stargaze with your sister," Lionblaze explained with a smile as he headed toward a bundle of blankets were spread out on the ground with two pillows, a small bowl of candy, and a star chart. "I've never learned the constellations, so I figured why not have you teach me?" A halt in Cinderheart's movements made Lionblaze stop as well, and he looked back at her, confusion written all over his face. "Cinderheart? Something wrong?"

Lionblaze couldn't have known, but Cinderheart's heart was racing, immensely touched by Lionblaze's plan. She did miss stargazing with her sister, a lot really. It had been one of her favorite things to do with her younger sister, teaching her the constellations and various stars out in the night sky.

So without thinking, Cinderheart briskly walked over to him, grasped him by the shoulders, and pulled him down to her height to kiss him. It was messy, being Cinderheart's first initiated kiss, but Cinderheart wouldn't have had it any other way. "You're amazing," she breathed once they broke apart, her blue eyes searching his amber ones. "Honest."

Lionblaze had adopted a look of shock throughout the kiss, but placed his hands on both sides of her waist and smiled at her, leaning forward and lightly pecking her lips. Pleasantly surprised by her boldness. "Why thank you, but if I'm honest I'm looking at the brightest star in the sky right now."

As expected Cinderheart's face when bright red, but she smiled gently at him and Lionblaze's heart melted into a puddle on the ground.

They spent the rest of the night curled up on the blankets next to each other, eating some of the candy Lionblaze had brought, and listening to music. With Cinderheart pointing out every constellation she could find while also telling the story behind each of them.

* * *

"Lionblaze?!" Jayfeather's cranky and concerned tone startled Hollyleaf from where she sat in the common room reading.

"Jayfeather? What's wrong?"

"Lionblaze isn't in the dorm," Jayfeather snapped harshly, and Briarlight silently got up from where she had been sitting with Holly her own nose buried in an mystery murder novel. She stood next to Jayfeather, her fingers barely brushing against the skin of one of his crossed arms, and Jayfeather inhaled a deep calming breath before explaining himself. "I can tell by hte smell that he didn't return to the dorm last night either."

Hollyleaf's eyebrows knitted together, "that's odd, Cinderheart's missing too…"

"Lionblaze mentionted last night he was taking her to the greenhouse," Fallenleaves added his own two cents where he calmly continued reading. Completely unbothered by the situation.

The other three stared at each other for a moment before they simultaneously shot to their feet, if they were sitting, and started running toward the greenhouse.

"I'm going to kill him!" Hollyleaf hissed, and the other two couldn't help but agree.

* * *

 _Click!_

 _Flash!_

Lionblaze drowsily opened his eyes, feeling distorted and confused, like his brain was moving at the speed of molasses. He felt comfortable despite his arm being dead asleep with his wrist aching from being pinned under his head. It had been a long time since he had slept well, where he didn't wake up in the night and slept deep enough for something to have to jolt him awake. The half of his vision not blocked by a pillow cleared to see his sister holding up her phone with a cheeky smirk and chuckling a little. Foxleap was untwisting the top of his water bootle with a smirk, and the rest of his friends smirking as well. "Why're you smirking at me?" He asked groggily, shifting his hand under his arm and taking a deep breath while closing his eyes again. Feeling like he could doze off any second. He was warm and comfortable, a rare occurance in of itself, and a strong smell of mint in the air made it even easier to fall back to sleep.

"I'm not smirking," was Hollyleaf's response, "Foxleap don't you dare go over there and dump that on their heads."

 _Their heads?_ Lionblaze wondered dimly before something next to him moved a little and his amber eyes reopened with a start. The person he realized, was shifting positions slightly and causing silver hair to tickle his nose. While also drawing what felt like an arm from under his arm and resting against his shoulder blade, to his stomach. His shirt crinkling slightly under their fingers.

Sleepy murmurs muffled by their face being pressed to his shirt followed the movements before she stilled. He could feel her warm slow breathing moving the fabric of his shirt and felt her fingers twitch slightly like she was dreaming.

Like _she_ was dreaming...

Lionblaze felt suddenly stark wide awake, staring down at what silver hair he could see and stiffening up like a board as she nuzzled her nose deeper in his shirt. He and Cinderheart had fallen asleep in the greenhouse.

Not only that, but Cinderheart was snuggled to him. Her body was curled into his chest with her face buried in his shirt, one of her palms resting flat against his body, and the other hand now loosely holding onto his shirt in a rather adorable fashion. Her legs were entwined with his, one of her legs thrown other his, and her body language was a limp and peaceful as a sleeping cat. However, despite how cute she was right now she was also very distracting with how she was practically glued to him in her sleep.

Lionblaze's eyebrows pinched together as his face heated up like a campfire. Cinderheart was always beautiful and he had never had a problem keeping his eyes on her, but he hadn't ever really noticed how athletically toned his girlfriend was until now. Even more so he now knew she didn't lack in any of the physical departments.

Holly gave a giggle and Lionblaze hastened to glare at her before he then tried to carefully pull away from the sleeping girl. Lifting his free arm and head first to free both arms.

However the moment he moved Cinderheart stirred and shifted positions, pushing herself up a little and wedging her head under his. Her lips brushing against his skin with her sleepy sigh.

Lionblaze was pretty sure he died of embarrassment by now. Even so he froze again, unsure what to do. He didn't want to wake her, but he was going to die of embarrassment with their friend's watching and just being in the position in the first place.

It wasn't like he hadn't been this close to a girl before. After all Hollyleaf's least favorite thing of him dating Heathertail had been how she had the most unfortunate timing. Where Heathertail seemed to be always practically glued to him and kissing the hell out of him, but not like this. Cinderheart was the most easily embarrassed and shy person regarding their relationship, barely able to sieze enough confidence to lean across a table and kiss him on the nose. She wasn't really into kissing him as much as Heathertail had, she was more interested in taking it slow and learning as she went. That wasn't to say she didn't like to kiss him or anything, Lionblaze wasn't an absolute idiot; He saw the excitement and dazed giddiness she adopted every time he kissed her, and he hoped she would always be that happy with him.

Low fighting between Hollyleaf and Foxleap reigned Lionblaze's thoughts in and he tensed up again, having not noticed that he had relaxed, his head resting leaned against Cinderheart's with his fingers lazily tracing her shoulder blades. Which he quickly stopped, much to his embarrassment.

"Don't!" The one word was all of his warning before water was dumped straight on his head, the cold water nearly giving him a heart attack and causing Cinderheart to jolt awake with a gasp. After which she sharply jerked her head up and nailed Lionblaze right in the nose.

"Foxleap!" Lionblaze heard his sister snap, "I just told you not to!"

"Good StarClan," Lionblaze quickly cursed and instantly brought his free arm up to his nose while Cinderheart scrambled away from him, hastily detangling herself from him and breathing hard as she sat up, kneeling on the blankets spread out on the ground. Her teeth was chattering slightly from the temperature of the water. Lionblaze wasn't able to see her face as she faced the others, but he did see Foxleap take half a step back in fear through the watering of his eyes from the pain of his nose.

"What. the hell." Cinderheart's voice was practically murderous behind the chattering of her teeth, and her voice rose into an angry yell, "what the hell was that for Foxleap?!"

"Now you've done it, waking the angry bear," Hollyleaf stated dryly and shoved him toward the door, "out, shoo. Before Cinderheart murders you."

Lionblaze peered curiously at his girlfriend as the pain in his nose faded. He hadn't ever seen Cinderheart angry at anyone besides Heathertail, and dang she was beautiful in that spitting fire angry temptress fashion.

Cinderheart seemed to lose steam and grunted, running a hand through her extremely messy silver locks before getting to feet, muttering something about killing Foxleap under her breath.

"Morning Sunshine," Hollyleaf walked over and lightly nudged her best friend while Lionblaze sat up. "Soo, did you have fun?" She lightly teased.

Lionblaze saw Cinderheart turn for a second to look at him, and tried to give her a charming smile behind his embarrassment flushed ears and cheeks. Her face was red too, her cheeks an adorably rose pink color. They caught each other's eye before Cinderheart jerked her head away from his direction and spoke quietly, in a tone he was just barely able to hear. "Yeah, I had fun."

* * *

 _ **No, I'm not dead, I've just had a really, really bad case of writer's block and lack of inspiration for practically everything XD**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, leave a review to tell me what you think, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter! (Or story XD)**_

 _ **~Tigercry**_


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